Harbour Pollution - Government Irresponsibility on Display!

by Peter Harle
12/06/2012

For many years I have been an active campaigner for a drink container levy. It is a shame that Governments of both major political parties, are unable to implement an effective means of reducing the plastic garbage dumped into our environment. Despite Liverpool City Council lobbying bordering State Members over the last year, few if any have had the will or even the courtesy of explaining why they do or do not support such a scheme. Particularly when the South Australian model has proven to be the most cost effective method of any state and has done so since 1972!

A recent TV program showed just how bad the situation is, but no-one, either from the State or Federal Government seems to have a plan, why not simply implement the SA model in every state? That would immediately cause up to 98% of all drink containers yet to be manufactured to be recycled. But once again it appears vested interests have managed to influence Governments into doing nothing.

At a Federal Level PM Gillard could implement a National Scheme which I’m sure all parties would agree to, so why have they not done so? Is the Drink Container Manufacturing Lobby group that powerful? All States, except SA, have a deplorable record of recycling drink containers, rarely do any achieve more than a 35% recovery rate, the rest end up on our beaches, the harbour or at the bottom of lakes or in land fill. I’m not a “Greenie”, but this is an issue that needs to be addressed irrespective of political points of view, and soon!

Clr Peter Harle http://www.lcit.com.au/?page_id=1030

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